chemical

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Definitions (42)

Toggle American Heritage Dictionary definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. adjective Of or relating to chemistry.
  2. adjective Of or relating to the properties or actions of chemicals.
  3. noun A substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process.
  4. noun A drug, especially an illicit or addictive one.

Toggle Century Dictionary definitions Century Dictionary (33)

  1. Pertaining to chemistry: as, a chemical experiment.
  2. Pertaining to the phenomena with which chemistry deals and to the laws by which they are regulated; accordant with the laws of chemistry. Not only do worms aid indirectly in the chemical disintegration of rocks, but there is good reason to believe that they likewise act in a direct and mechanical manner on the smaller particles. Darwin, Vegetable Mould, p. 246.
  3. Also chemic.
  4. Chemical acetification. See acetification.
  5. Chemical action. See action.
  6. Chemical affinity, elective affinity names formerly used for chemical force, and implying a property inherent in atoms of selecting other atoms with which to unite, or of preferring one combination to another.
  7. Chemical analysis the resolution of complex bodies into their elements. It is either qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative analysis consists in the determination of the component parts merely as respects their nature, and without regard to their relative proportions. Quantitative analysis consists in the determination of the relative proportions of the components.
  8. Chemical black, bronze. See black, bronze.
  9. Chemical Change as distinguished from physical change, a change which destroys the identity of the substance affected. A physical change is manifested without loss of identity by the substance. Thus, a mass of copper may be reduced to fine particles, drawn into wire, melted and east into in gots or charged with electricity, without losing its identity as copper. But if copper is put into nitric acid, it dissolves and is converted into another substance, copper nitrate. The copper, in consequence, has lost its identity, and has undergone a chemical change.
  10. Chemical combination the intimate union by chemical force of two or more elements or compounds to form a new compound differing in properties from either of its constituent bodies. It differs from mechanical mixture in that each element of a chemical combination has a certain fixed and invariable combining proportion, whereas a mixture of substances can be made with varying amounts of its ingredients. In a mechanical mixture the particles of each of its ingredients can usually be identified and separated by mechanical means; in a chemical combination the constituents are so blended that they cannot be identified. Thus, if chlorin and hydrogen gas are mixed in any desired proportion, the chlorin in the mixture will be evident by its characteristic color and odor. But if this mechanical mixture is exposed to strong light, a chemical combination takes place rapidly between the two gases, with evolution of heat. They combine, however, only in exactly equal volumes, and if an excess of either is present it remains uncombined. In the new compound, hydrochloric acid, chlorin cannot be detected by either color or smell, nor be isolated except by chemical means.
  11. Chemical decomposition the separation by chemical force of the component parts of bodies from one another, or the resolution of bodies into their elements.
  12. Chemical equation a symbolic expression used to represent a chemical reaction. The reagents, or bodies which enter into the reaction, form the left-hand member of the equation, and the resultants of the reaction form the right-hand member. Thus, the fact that calcium chlorid and sodium carbonate when brought together in solution react on each other, forming calcium carbonate and sodium chlorid, is expressed by the following equation:
  13. CaCl2 + Na2CO3 = CaCO3 + 2NaCl.
  14. This is a true equation in the algebraic sense, because the value of the two members is the same. Since matter is indestructible, nothing is lost in the reaction, and the weights of calcium chlorid and sodium carbonate which reacted must be precisely the same as the combined weights of the resultant calcium carbonate and sodium chlorid.
  15. Chemical equivalent, extinguisher, ferment, fire-engine etc. See the nouns.
  16. Chemical force the force which binds together the atoms in a molecule, and causes chemical changes when dissimilar molecules are brought within the sphere of its action under proper conditions.
  17. Chemical formula a symbolic expression used to represent the composition of a substance. In the formulas now generally adopted by chemists each elementary substance is indicated by the first letter or letters of its name, called its chemical symbol; and to express the compounds of the elements, their symbols are arranged together, each denoting a single atom, and small numbers are written after a symbol and a little below (sometimes, and formerly always, above) the line, indicating how many atoms of the element exist in the compound. Thus, H means 1 atom of hydrogen; H2O means 2 atoms of hydrogen united with 1 of oxygen, forming the compound water; KHO means 1 atom of potassium (kalium), 1 of hydrogen, and 1 of oxygen, forming the compound potassium hydrate; and so on. If a number is placed at the beginning of the formula, it multiplies the entire formula like an algebraic coefficient; thus, 2H2O means 2 parts or 2 molecules of water. So, too, a small number placed after a parenthesis multiplies the portion included; thus, Ca3(PO4)2 denotes 3 atoms of calcium combined with 2 equivalents of the radical PO4, forming tricalcium phosphate or bone phosphate. Chemical formulas are of two kinds, empirical and rational. An empirical formula expresses simply the relative number of atoms of the elements present; a rational formula expresses not only the relative number of atoms, but also some conception of the mode of union of the atoms, the groups of radicals contained in the substance, the class to which it belongs, etc. Thus, the empirical formula of acetic acid is C2H4O2. Its rational formula (CH3 CO.OH) indicates that it may be regarded as made up of the radicals methyl (CH3), carbonyl (CO), and hydroxyl (OH), and so suggests to the chemist many of its properties and reactions. See graphic formula, under graphic.
  18. Chemical harmonicon, hygrometer. See the nouns.
  19. Chemical kinetics the science which treats of the phenomena of bodies or systems of bodies when chemically active.
  20. Chemical match. See match.
  21. Chemical paper paper used or suitable for use in the operations of chemistry, as litmus paper, etc.
  22. Chemical rays of the spectrum. See spectrum.
  23. Chemical statics the science which treats of the phenomena exhibited by chemical bodies or systems of bodies in equilibrium.
  24. A substance produced by a chemical process; a chemical agent prepared for scientific or economic use: as, the manufacture of chemicals.
  25. Versed in chemistry; engaged in the study of chemistry or in chemical research or investigation: as, a chemical philosopher; a chemical friend.
  26. Of or pertaining to alchemy or alchemists. Also chymical.
  27. Chemical actinometer. See actinometer.
  28. Chemical analysis. By this term is understood, sometimes the actual separation of a substance into its different constituents, and sometimes merely the, ascertainment of the kinds or quantities of the constituents into which it is separable.
  29. Chemical antidote, denudation, dynamics engineer, equilibrium, focus, fog. See antidote, denudation, etc.
  30. Chemical formula. See constitutional or structural *formula.
  31. Chemical fuse, gilding, induction, irritability, photometer, rectifier. See fuse, etc.
  32. Chemical restraint the quieting of the violently insane by means of narcotic drugs.
  33. Chemical styptic, thermometer, ware. See styptic, etc.

Toggle GNU Webster's 1913 definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

  1. Pertaining to chemistry; characterized or produced by the forces and operations of chemistry; employed in the processes of chemistry; as, chemical changes; chemical combinations.
  2. A substance used for producing a chemical effect; a reagent.

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

  1. material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules
  2. relating to or used in chemistry
  3. of or made from or using substances produced by or used in reactions involving atomic or molecular changes

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